The injury woes for the Dallas Mavericks just got a little more crowded. But that didn’t stop them from grinding out a hard-fought 107–105 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night at American Airlines Center to close out their season-opening five-game homestand.
Anthony Davis started at center for the Mavericks, with Dereck Lively II (right knee sprain) and Daniel Gafford (right ankle sprain) both sidelined. But Davis’ night was cut short when he exited with 4:12 remaining in the first quarter due to lower left-leg soreness. He finished with four points and four rebounds in seven minutes before the Mavericks ruled him out for the rest of the night.
“Left lower leg soreness,” coach Jason Kidd said. “He tried to return but we didn’t want to take any chances. We’ll see how he feels going forward.”
Dallas was also without Kyrie Irving (left knee surgery) and Danté Exum (right knee injury), leaving the team short on both size and experience. Yet the Mavericks found a spark in their bench.
Brandon Williams poured in 20 points on 9-of-14 shooting to lead Dallas, while Dwight Powell contributed 18 points, six rebounds, and two blocks, and D’Angelo Russell added 14 points and five assists. Rookie Cooper Flagg continued his strong start to his NBA career with 15 points and 10 rebounds, marking his second double-double through five games. Max Christie added 10 points, extending his double-digit scoring streak to three straight games.
The Mavericks (2–3) overcame a 14-point deficit to hand the winless Pacers their fourth straight loss. The victory ended Dallas’ five-game homestand at 2–3 and gave the team its first win over Indiana in its last five matchups.
Dallas Mavericks Rally After Early Setback
Initially, the Mavericks struggled after Davis’ exit, falling behind 30–25 at the end of the first quarter and 44–31 midway through the second when Indiana’s Mac McClung completed a three-point play. But Dallas began to turn things around with a 29–19 third quarter, eventually building an 88–76 lead less than three minutes into the fourth.
Indiana battled back late and had a chance to win when Aaron Nesmith secured an offensive rebound after RayJ Dennis intentionally missed a second free throw with 3.4 seconds left. But Nesmith’s open 3-pointer at the buzzer missed, sealing Dallas’ narrow win.
The Mavericks’ bench produced a season-high 64 points — their most since scoring 61 against Toronto on Oct. 26. Powell led the team with a +12 plus/minus and set career highs with 10 made free throws on 12 attempts, while the home crowd serenaded him with “MVP” chants down the stretch.
“I just tried to focus on making free throws at the end of the day,” Powell said. “It was a little confusing at first, but I just locked in and tried to make them.”
Powell, a 12th-year Maverick, has shifted into a reserve role after years as Dallas’ primary center, but his readiness paid off when injuries forced him into heavy minutes.
“It’s always tough when one of your main guys or anybody goes down,” Powell said. “We want to make sure he’s all right—he’s on our mind—but at the end of the day, we’ve got to step up. Whoever’s number is called has to compete and stick to the game plan. Fortunately, we had a bunch of guys step up tonight.”
Brandon Williams Responds After Absence
Williams’ performance marked his first points of the season after missing the previous two games. The guard had been arrested Saturday at DFW Airport on a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge and issued a public apology before Wednesday’s game. He responded on the floor with one of his most efficient outings as a Maverick, posting his fifth 20-point game with the franchise.
“B-Will was great,” Kidd said. “In his 22 minutes, he was able to attack, score, and compete on the defensive end too. DP—the chants for MVP—you know, just again, true pro, always being ready. We have some injuries, and he steps in. I don’t know when the last time he got to the free-throw line 12 times, but I thought he took full advantage of his 29 minutes. D-Law was good for us off the bench, and Caleb was really good defensively—able to knock down those corner shots. Someone told me one of them was a foot on the line, but I thought his energy was really good. The stats won’t show it, but he competed at a high level on both ends for us tonight.”
Kidd praised the team’s ball movement as Dallas found offensive rhythm in the second half.
“I think we found something tonight,” Kidd said. “We talked about the corners, and we found them. I thought the group did a really good job moving the ball and playing together.”
Williams’ burst off the bench gave the Mavericks much-needed pace and penetration.
“Coming out of camp, he was a little banged up, so his speed and ability to get to the rim is something we haven’t had here lately,” Kidd said. “He did that at a very high level tonight.”
Cooper Flagg’s Composure and Growth
Flagg became just the second Mavericks rookie in franchise history — alongside assistant coach Popeye Jones (1993–94) — to record multiple double-doubles within his first five career games. He also joined a short list of Mavericks first-year players with at least three 15-point games in their first five outings.
“For us, it was about staying consistent,” Flagg said. “When a great player like that goes down, the team’s obviously down a man, but we had to stick to the game plan. PJ played some five, DP came in huge for us—he’s just so consistent. It was about playing the same way and staying locked in.”
Flagg helped push Dallas’ lead to double digits in the fourth quarter with a seven-point stretch, punctuating one basket with a “too small” gesture to the crowd.
“Yeah, it’s about having fun,” Flagg said. “That’s something I’m trying to keep with me. The older guys—especially Klay—talk about playing with joy. It’s a game, and it’s supposed to be fun. I’m just trying to enjoy those little moments.”
Powell praised Flagg’s competitiveness and maturity.
“Cooper’s a competitor by blood,” Powell said. “He loves the game and works extremely hard. Someone with his skill set and mentality at his age—the sky’s literally the limit. I’m really excited for his future and to be part of a lot of wins with him.”
Flagg credited veterans like Powell for helping him adjust to the NBA grind.
“The biggest thing with DP isn’t what he says—it’s his actions,” Flagg said. “He’s in the weight room every day, early to practice, always putting in work. He leads by example and shows the younger guys the right way. He’s a true professional.”
Indiana Pacers Shorthanded and Searching
Indiana’s depleted lineup featured eight players out due to injury, including Tyrese Haliburton (torn right Achilles tendon), Bennedict Mathurin (right great toe sprain), Obi Toppin (right foot stress), Andrew Nembhard (left shoulder strain), and T.J. McConnell (left hamstring strain). Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 27 points and 13 rebounds, while Jarace Walker added a career-high 20 points.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said his team must focus on improvement despite the adversity.
“Nobody wants to hear about excuses and problems of injuries,” Carlisle said. “We just got to be the best with the guys we have available, and there’s growth opportunity. Wins are not easy to come by even when you’re healthy, and we’ve got to be creative during this period.”
The Pacers shot just 34.9% from the field — their worst mark in the last five seasons — and fell to 0–4 for the first time since opening the 1988–89 campaign with nine straight losses.
Looking Ahead
Jason Kidd’s message after the game reflected perspective and patience as the Mavericks continue to navigate a long season and heavy injury list.
“There is no curse,” Kidd said. “The curse is if you’re not in this league. We’re trying to find our way. It takes 82 games to do that. When we get healthy, that’ll be a blessing too. We’ve got to play with the guys that we have.”
Dallas will play its first road game of the season Saturday in Mexico City against the Detroit Pistons. The Pacers begin a four-game homestand Friday against the Atlanta Hawks.
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